


Three Rings

by heterocosmica



Series: Happy Snape family AU [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dialogue-Only, F/M, Fairy Tale Retellings, Marriage Proposal, Romani Eileen Prince, Russian Tobias Snape, Story within a Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:41:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28427976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heterocosmica/pseuds/heterocosmica
Summary: Eileen tells Tobias the story of Three Rings.*Set in 1959.
Relationships: Eileen Prince/Tobias Snape
Series: Happy Snape family AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1150418
Kudos: 2





	Three Rings

**Author's Note:**

> Part of the Happy Snape family AU. If you want to check out more of this AU (including the edits) check out my [tumblr tag for it](http://heterocosmica.tumblr.com/tagged/snape-family), or look up the tag "snape family" on my pillowfort (username: heterocosmica).
> 
> *
> 
> comments on my fics are always moderated, hate will not be published, if you don't like Snape just don't read this

_Ima netko čije o-oči-i još zna-am, netko tko sa-am ... i-ide u no-oć, sjećanja pu-un, netko dra-ag...._

"Come sit with me, Eileen."

*laughter*

Maybe you should stand up and dance with me instead?

*shuffling*

Come on. Come. Take my hand, come dance, we can just sway, come.

*sigh*

"Oh, _very well_. But I'm asking for a trade."

Trade?

"You'll tell me a story after, won't you?"

Ah... That seems like a fair trade. I suppose I could tell you a story.

*laughter*

No, closer, hold me closer. There's no one around, just let me-

"Yes."

Yes.

*pause*

You're so warm, it's-

*shuffling*

"Your hair smells of rose."

*laughter*

"Like Turkish delight."

Toby! Why would you _say that_!

*laughter*

"You're all flushed. Are you feeling alright?"

Yes. Yes I'm- Just sit, you wanted a story didn't you?

"Can't wait."

Well, I have a good one.

"Come sit closer. Sit on my lap. No one is going to come by, just come closer, _please_."

*sigh*

Well- well, there was this king and he had a son. And once the prince got old enough, the king sent word to a neighbouring king who had a daughter that he wanted the girl for his son. He sent the ring and everything he was supposed too, as well, but the girl's father, smart man that he is, went to speak to his daughter before answering.

"Of course."

Would you?

"Would I?"

If you had a daughter, would you let her pick? Even if you disagreed with her choice? Even if she said no to who you think is the perfect man for her and wanted someone not-

"Who wouldn't? It's 1959, what kind of person wouldn't let their child choose their own fate?"

I spoke with my mother, she- 

*pause*

I wasn't supposed to come today.

"Oh."

And I know your mother- I know your parents don't think I'm-

"No, Eileen that's not-"

They think I'm _dirty_. I see the way your mother looks at me, I hear what the women say. _A good boy going off with that Gy-_

"Eileen. Look at me."

*pause*

"Why would that matter? I'm here because I want to be. I hope you are, too?"

Yes, but-

"Then that's all that matters. Just you and me. Just you and me..."

*pause*

I don't think-

*sigh*

Story- I should- Story- 

*pause*

The king goes, then, to ask his daughter how to respond, and the daughter, naturally, says to ask for three rings, one made of stars, one made of moon, one made of sun.

*pause*

Why are you _looking at me_ like that?

"Come closer, come."

*sigh*

"So three rings?"

Yes, she asks for three rings and the other king gets angry at first, but the son wants this girl and no one else, so eventually, because they can't figure out how to get the ring themselves, the king offers half of his kingdom for them.

"Must have been the only woman for him."

Yes...

"I can understand that..."

... _Tobias._

" _Eileen._ "

You cannot say things like that, honestly I-

"We've never kissed. Don't you want to kiss me? Don't you wish to- I dream of you every night. Every night."

*breath*

_Tobias, I-_ yes, I- But-

*sigh*

I should get back to the story.

"Yes, the story, did they get the rings?"

No. The prince was heartbroken. So heartbroken that he left for the woods, to die. Bit dramatic if you ask me-

"Maybe. Maybe not. I would-"

No.

*pause*

He goes to the woods, finds this old woman just sitting around by the path.

"A witch?"

*breath*

Maybe. It's a fairy tale, there could be witches.

"Yes, fairy tales, full of witches."

What is that look for?

"What does she do?"

Who?

"The old woman?"

Oh, yes, she tells him _may you be unhappy, then happy, then the happiest_. It intrigues him, so he sits by her, asks what she meant and she just says she'll help him with his problem, doesn't even let him explain what it is, just tells him to take some herbs from her vest, put it in his, comb her hair putting half of it in front of her shoulders and half down her back, and sit with her.

"How long is her hair?"

I don't know, long, like mine.

"I've never seen your hair down, I don't know how long it is."

Of course you haven't we're not married and I'm not a- _prostitute_.

*laughter*

" _Prostitute_?"

Shush, men never understand. A woman's hair carries her- her womanhood. It's very personal.

"Not for me?"

No. Maybe- Maybe, one day.

"One day?"

*laughter*

If you ask the right way.

"Ah. I see."

*pause*

"Naturally, he does as the old woman says?"

Yes, yes, he does everything and, before sundown, she tells him, when he sees the first star he should pull out some of the herbs, point them to the sky, and ask for a ring. He does this and the star falls into his hand, in a ring. He does the same when the moon comes out and gets a ring with the moon in it.

"Definitely a witch then."

Yes. Well, maybe. Maybe not.

*pause*

Right before dawn, the old woman tells him, once the sun comes out he should look at it through her hair and ask three times for a ring like the sun from her hair. And he does, of course, it works, he gets all three rings. Happy, he asks the old woman what he owes her for this and she just sends him on his way.

"And he goes home, sends the rings to the princess, and they marry?"

Yes, he goes home, sends the rings to the princess, and they marry.

"And live happily ever after?"

We don't know that.

"But if there's love- they must be happy if there's love."

Sometimes love isn't enough. Maybe some people are just too different, love or no, maybe some people just can't-

"We could."

_Tobias._

"No, I know. But we _could._ Don't you think? Don't you want-"

Kiss me.

"I- Are you- Are you sure?"

Yes, kiss me.

*pause*

I do love you, I do. And I want- I wish- I wish this could be real. I wish I could just stay with you- But my family- and your family- I...

"We could leave."

No.

"We could. We could go, wouldn't even have to go far, how would they find us? And then maybe in a year or two, when we have children, we could come back to see them all, people soften once they become grandparents, it would be fine."

*pause*

"Eileen _please_. I love you, there's never going to be anyone I love more. _Please_. Nothing else matters. I love you, you love me, isn't that everything we need?"

_Tobias_...

"You don't have to answer now-"

I love you, I love you, I-

"You don't have to answer now-"

Meet me past the mill, at dawn. I-

"I love you."

Kiss me again.

"Of course."


End file.
